Arizona State Parks: What’s open and what’s closing

The Arizona State Parks Board, responding to a budget raid by the Arizona Legislature, voted on Friday to begin the closure of most state parks. It’s a sad and ultimately short-sighted development. There aren’t any easy answers to our budget woes, but this clearly does not sit well for our future.

The Arizona Heritage Alliance, which works diligently to protect the Heritage Fund, posted this excellent summary of what’s still open and what’s closing.

The Arizona State Parks Board voted to keep nine parks open and close the remaining thirteen State Parks in a phased series of closures starting February 22, 2010 due to six different State Parks funds being swept of $8.6 million. In addition, four parks remain closed due to previous budget reductions.